Umbrella catheter



T- J. FOGARTY UMBRELLA CATHETER Filed Dec.

Oct. 14., 1969 If TH INVENTOR. THOMAS J. FOGARTY BY Q Attorney United States Patent 3,472,230 UMBRELLA CATHETER Thomas J. Fogarty, 120 Center Drive, Apt. 309, Bethesda, Md. 20014 Filed Dec. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 602,643 Int. Cl. A6111 17/00, 17/22, 17/32 US. Cl. 128--328 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Various devices have heretofore been proposed for this purpose. Some are arranged to snare the stone in a loop equipped with a draw string, some assume a corkscrew configuration and others have curved wires forming a basket or cage. Removal of a stone with such devices is a slow and tedious operation because no means is provided to grasp and hold the stone. Stones will slip out of a loop snare or corkscrew configuration and they cannot be retained in the basket and cage configurations. It is desirable to provide positive means for grasping and retaining the stones so that they may be removed quickly without prolonged probing and manipulation of the instrument and without damaging the duct 'which contains the stones.

The general object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an improved device for dislodging and removing stones and debris from the biliary and urinary systems and other intralumenal structures. More particular objects are to provide means on a catheter device for grasping and retaining stones and debris and to provide an umbrella configuration arranged to scoop up and enclose stones and debris so that they may be removed quickly by a simple manipulation.

The present instrument comprises essentially an umbrella on the end of a catheter. The umbrella is inserted in the body passage in closed position until it has passed the location of the stones or debris to be removed. Then the umbrella is opened and withdrawn sufficiently to scoop up the stones and debris. By closing the umbrella, the stones or debris are grasped and retained therein whereupon the instrument is merely withdrawn completely, bringing the stones or debris with it. Retention of the stone within the umbrella avoids damage to intralumenal structures by preventing the scraping of the sharp surfaces of the stones and debris against ductal surfaces.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent and the invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated on the accompanying drawing. Various changes may be made, however, in the construction and arrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others. All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view, with parts broken away, showing an umbrella catheter embodying the principles of the invention with the umbrella closed;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, showing the umbrella open; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

The proximal end of flexible plastic catheter tube 10 is equipped with a handle fitting 11. Slidable within the catheter tube is a flexible umbrella control wire 12 having a handle fitting 13 on its proximal end. The distal end of control wire 12 is connected with a slide 15.

An umbrella frame 20 has stays formed of a plurality of spring wires 21 which assume bowed shapes as shown in FIGURE 3 when they are not under restraint. The convergent proximal ends of these wires are connected to slide 15 and the distal ends are connected to a tip 25 which may be extended to greater length than shown, if desired.

An umbrella 30 of suitable flexible material, such as a moldable elastomer, has a small distal end 31 at its center which may abut or be connected with the tip 25 or may be made integral therewith. The umbrella has thickened longitudinal portions 32 forming ribs which are molded around and bonded to the wires 21. The umbrella extends in a proximal direction to a scraping edge 33 located at the maximum diameter of the umbrella frame 20.

The umbrella may be closed by pulling out control wire handle 13 until the exposed length of frame 20 is drawn into catheter tube 10 as shown in FIGURE 1. With the parts in this position, the device may be inserted into the body passage until the umbrella has passed beyond the location of the stones or debris to be removed. Then the umbrella is opened to its FIGURE 3 position by pushing inward on control wire handle 13 until the frame 20 is completely emergent from the tube 10. This allows spring wires 21 to assume their natural bowed shape or at least to bow outward as far as the wall of the body passage will permit. When the umbrella is molded of an elastomer it is molded in circular shape so that the edge 33 will bow out between the stays 21 and assume a circular shape when open as shown in FIGURE 4. The edge 33 thereby forms a circular scraper to engage the entire periphery of the body passage.

The device is then withdrawn a short distance with the umbrella open, causing the edge 33 of the umbrella to dislodge and scoop up any stones or debris which may be present. Then the control wire handle 13 is pulled out to its FIGURE 1 position closing the umbrella around the dislodged stones. Finally, the device is: withdrawn from the body passage with the stones or debris retained securely within the closed umbrella.

The whole operation is accomplished very quickly and conveniently with a minimum of trauma to the patient. The stones or debris cannot escape from the umbrella and are easily dislodged and removed :in a single movement of the catheter without the irritation of repeated scraping in the body passage. Sharp or hard particles, being enclosed in the umbrella, cannot scarpe against and damage the duct during removal.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An instrument for dislodging and removing stones or debris from a body canal comprising a flexible tube adapted to be pushed through the lumen of the canal to a point beyond the stone or debris, a flexible control wire slidable in said tube, a plurality of spring stays normally outwardly bowed at mid length connected at their proximal ends with the distal end of said control wire, a tip member connected to the distal ends of said stays, and

an umbrella of flexible material connected with said stays, said umbrella having a central portion disposed adjacent said tip member and said umbrella extending along said stays in a proximal direction to a peripheral scraping edge at approximately the mid length of said stays, said umbrella being closed by sliding said control wire in a proximal direction in said tube causing the proximal end portions of said stays to be pulled into said tube to straighten said stays, and said umbrella being opened by sliding said control wire in a distal direction in said tube 10 causing the proximal end portions of said stays to emerge from said tube and assume their normal outwardly bowed condition, said umbrella when closed being adapted to pass beyond stones or debris to be removed and said umbrella when opened beyond said stones or debris being adapted to scrape said stones or debris into the umbrella by pulling the umbrella in a proximal direction.

2. An instrument as defined in claim 1, said umbrella being made of an elastomer and said scraping edge having a normally circular shape when the umbrella is open.

3. An instrument as defined in claim 2, said elastomer being molded around and bonded to said stays.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,358 4/1950 Gusberg et al. 128-2 2,943,626 7/1960 Dormia 128-328 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,095,457 12/1960 Germany.

CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

